How to bake Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes like a pro

STRAWBERRY NUTELLA CUPCAKES BY QUEEN ESTHER IDOWU 

These Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes are made with a soft, fluffy Nutella cupcake topped with more Nutella and a fresh strawberry frosting! The flavors are wonderful together and great for summer! A new cupcake recipe by Queen Esther Idowu 

Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes 

So my mom has been visiting for the past week and it’s been really nice having her. I’ve had a lot going on and it’s been super busy, so she’s been helping with fixing dinner, laundry and cleaning up the seemingly never ending pile of dishes that follows me wherever I go.

None of those are fun sounding jobs, but unlike me she actually likes doing those things. I feel like she basically follows me around with a sponge. If Mr. Clean had a Mrs. Clean, it’d be my mom. Nobody keeps a house more clean than she does. We are actually perfect together because I make a mess and she loves to clean it. 😉

We are also perfect together because we both share a sweet tooth. While visiting she has been able to taste all the baking. We make a mean dessert-eating machine, though we do have to pace ourselves and still give most away. However, we both devoured more of these cupcakes than we’d intended too. They are SO good!

Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes with a soft, fluffy Nutella cupcake topped with more Nutella 

Nutella and strawberry has long been a favorite combination of mine. The smooth chocolate hazelnut spread with the fresh pop of berries is just too good. So naturally I thought the combination would make a fabulous cupcake.

The cupcake itself is so moist and soft that it nearly melts in your mouth. It’s flavored with half a cup of Nutella in the cupcake and then with a little more Nutella spread on top of the baked cupcake. The extra bit on top makes it just perfect!

Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes with a soft, fluffy Nutella cupcake topped with more Nutella and a fresh strawberry frosting | by Lindsay Conchar for TheCakeBlog.com

The cupcake is topped with a strawberry frosting made with a strawberry reduction. Just cook some strawberry puree over medium heat until reduced it in half and you have your reduction. It ends up thicker and has a stronger strawberry flavor. It’s ideal for a strawberry frosting so that you get enough strawberry flavor without thinning out the frosting too much. 

The final cupcake is perfect! Just enough Nutella and strawberry flavor so that you definitely taste them both, but they don’t overpower each other. I’m in love 😍 

Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes made with a soft, fluffy Nutella cupcake topped with more Nutella and a fresh strawberry 🍓 

INGREDIENTS

For the Nutella Cupcakes:

½ cup sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup Nutella Hazelnut Spread

¼ cup sour cream, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1 ¼ cups (163g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons milk, room temperature

Additional Nutella, for topping

For the Strawberry Frosting:

½ cup strawberry puree

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup shortening (or additional butter)

5 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

Strawberries, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Beat the sugar, butter and Nutella until lighter in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

Add the egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk to the batter and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Fill cupcake liners only about halfway, or a bit less. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.

Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Make the Frosting:

Add the strawberry puree to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, until reduced in half to about ¼ cup. Set in the fridge to cool completely.

Combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.

Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Add a tablespoon of the cooled strawberry puree and mix until well combined and smooth.

Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Add another 2-3 tablespoons, as needed, to get the right consistency and flavor frosting, mixing until well combined and smooth.

Add a pinch of salt, to taste.

When the cupcakes are cooled completely, spread a thin layer of Nutella on top of each of them.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a closed star pastry tip,